Transparent Assessment Providing transparent goals and expectations for students Jonathon Adams Shinshu University Thursday, 9 August 12
Outline • Aims of the presentation • An approach to transparent goals and expectations • Example one: Academic Writing course • Example two: Oral Communication course • Close Thursday, 9 August 12
Aims of the presentation • Show the approach adopted in my context • Genre for structuring the courses (and assessment) • Present two examples (Academic Writing and Oral Communication classes) • Close Thursday, 9 August 12
Transparency for students: attaining goals • “I don’t just want a score, I want to know why I got my score” • “Why am I doing this?” • “What is the point?” • “I don’t know the meaning to this” Thursday, 9 August 12
Transparency for students: attaining goals • “I don’t just want a score, I want to know why I got my • Students need to know specific goals (and therefore be score” aware of what to do) • “Why am I doing this?” • They need to see a trajectory for the course (and (hopefully) understand the development and justifications • “What is the point?” for activities) from the first week • They need to be aware of their academic development • “I don’t know the meaning to this” (grade) throughout the course to maintain active participation Thursday, 9 August 12
Transparency for teachers Teacher needs: • Assessment should be fair, systematic and set according to specific goals and criteria • Easy to understand and carry out • Engage with resources/textbooks more critically (with a specific agenda, generic textbook activities can be more focussed, then make a more stimulating environment) Thursday, 9 August 12
An approach to transparency: two examples • Important: this is not a definitive system or method, but part of an ongoing process which develops and changes based on class experience and theoretical insights • Set out the course and assessment scales Thursday, 9 August 12
An approach to transparency: two examples In planning the courses for the following semester: • Set out the course and assessment scales in table form used for course planning and a modified version is given to students • Include in the student handouts the assessment and criteria (post online as a PDF for anytime access) Thursday, 9 August 12
Example one: Academic Writing course Set out the course and assessment scales • 15-week course, three texts for assessment, 1st year engineering students • Genre-based course (description and two discussions and one in a controlled environment) Why genre? Transparent structure, grammar and functional (real-world applicability) Thursday, 9 August 12
Example one: Academic Writing course Week Information Activities Activities Orientation • Course outline, important dates, some Course outline, important dates, some 1 general rules in academic writing, general rules in academic writing, common mistakes in essay writing common mistakes in essay writing • Overview of the text book Overview of the text book Introduction to structure and • Looking at essay/thesis structur Looking at essay/thesis structures and 2 genres of writing genre-specific grammar e-specific grammar Basic organisation - getting • Considering what type of structur Considering what type of structure you started will use • Matching activities Matching activities Descriptive paragraphs • Activities in the text book (pp. 60-76) Activities in the text book (pp. 60-76) 3 Writing descriptions Writing descriptions • Work sheets developing sentences • Work sheets developing sentences ork sheets developing sentences ork sheets developing sentences (sentences and paragraph based on your topics of inter based on your topics of interest, 4 level) level) examples analysis examples analysis examples analysis examples analysis 5 Grammar related to • Writing examples based on student riting examples based on student descriptions topics Mini assessment • Feedback from • Description 6 W5 writing task Dividing ideas • Activities in the text book (pp. 76-91) Activities in the text book (pp. 76-91) 7 Looking at examples, Looking at examples, • Work sheets developing sentences • Work sheets developing sentences ork sheets developing sentences ork sheets developing sentences analyses based on your topics of inter based on your topics of interest, 8 Related grammar and Related grammar and examples analysis examples analysis examples analysis examples analysis 9 structure • Writing examples based on student riting examples based on student Justifying your research topic topics Mini assessment • Feedback from • Reason writing 10 W9 task • Activities in the text book (pp. 108-121) Activities in the text book (pp. 108-121) Comparing and contrasting 11 • Work sheets developing sentences • Work sheets developing sentences ork sheets developing sentences ork sheets developing sentences paragraphs paragraphs Looking at examples, based on your topics of inter based on your topics of interest, 12 analyses analyses examples analysis examples analysis examples analysis examples analysis 13 Related grammar and • Writing examples based on student riting examples based on student structure topics Justifying your research topic Justifying your research topic • Final assessment planning Final assessment planning 14 Final assessment • Writing task (feedback will be emailed) riting task (feedback will be emailed) 15 Thursday, 9 August 12
Example one: Academic Writing course Description writing feedback part score comments /5 Suitability of topic Week Information Activities Activities Orientation • Course outline, important dates, some Course outline, important dates, some 1 /5 Enough text for time given general rules in academic writing, general rules in academic writing, common mistakes in essay writing common mistakes in essay writing • Overview of the text book Overview of the text book Depth of topic (specialised knowledge) /5 Introduction to structure and • Looking at essay/thesis structur Looking at essay/thesis structures and 2 /5 Use of descriptive verbs genres of writing genre-specific grammar e-specific grammar Basic organisation - getting • Considering what type of structur Considering what type of structure you /5 Grammar and cohesion started will use • Matching activities Matching activities /5 Description structure and features Descriptive paragraphs • Activities in the text book (pp. 60-76) Activities in the text book (pp. 60-76) 3 Writing descriptions Writing descriptions • Work sheets developing sentences • Work sheets developing sentences ork sheets developing sentences ork sheets developing sentences /30 Total (sentences and paragraph based on your topics of interest, based on your topics of inter 4 level) level) examples analysis examples analysis examples analysis examples analysis 5 Grammar related to • Writing examples based on student riting examples based on student descriptions topics Mini assessment • Feedback from • Description 6 W5 writing task Dividing ideas • Activities in the text book (pp. 76-91) Activities in the text book (pp. 76-91) 7 Looking at examples, Looking at examples, • Work sheets developing sentences • Work sheets developing sentences ork sheets developing sentences ork sheets developing sentences analyses based on your topics of interest, based on your topics of inter 8 Related grammar and Related grammar and examples analysis examples analysis examples analysis examples analysis 9 structure • Writing examples based on student riting examples based on student Justifying your research topic topics Mini assessment • Feedback from • Reason writing 10 W9 task • Activities in the text book (pp. 108-121) Activities in the text book (pp. 108-121) Comparing and contrasting 11 • Work sheets developing sentences • Work sheets developing sentences ork sheets developing sentences ork sheets developing sentences paragraphs paragraphs Looking at examples, based on your topics of interest, based on your topics of inter 12 analyses analyses examples analysis examples analysis examples analysis examples analysis 13 Related grammar and • Writing examples based on student riting examples based on student structure topics Justifying your research topic Justifying your research topic • Final assessment planning Final assessment planning 14 Final assessment • Writing task (feedback will be emailed) riting task (feedback will be emailed) 15 Thursday, 9 August 12
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